Life is good...

Kyle was able to get all of the required visas to leave and get into all countries needed.

Although on the train this morning going back to Bern to get the last visa I read this:

"Crime is a big problem all over Russia, and particularly in Moscow and St. Petersburg....Try to blend in whenever possible: the less you look like a tourist, the smaller the risk of being targeted.

"Although the mafia is rife in the cities, it is less of a hazard than petty crime: mostly thefts from cars and hotel rooms. There's also much less risk of being mugged in Moscow than in, say, New York, but tourists are often stalked by gangs, who dance around you (or stick pins into you) while they rifle your pockets. The daily murder toll in major cities runs into double figures, but these are mostly mafia killings and tourists are unlikely to become victims."

Then I realized that the book I was reading was printed when the Czech Republic was still communist - that's almost 20 years ago. Don't worry Moms - we'll be safe! I was given some great advice but another expat who is currently living in Moscow. She wouldn't be living there if she weren't perfectly safe.

...Oh, and the only reason I'm posting this now is because by the time this hits your inbox/reader/whatever we'll already be in Moscow...